Taco Bell just dropped the ultimate #TBT of flavor and fun with its 2016 Decades Menu, and, of course, I had to try everything on it.
If you’re a fan of fast food, then you know the exquisite pain of learning that your favorite item has been taken off the menu. Some fans are so serious about their favorite eats that they even start Change.org petitions to bring them back, which is what happened for a popular KFC item. Others just reminisce on Reddit about their forgotten favorites.
But my personal favorite fast-food restaurant, Taco Bell, knows how to make fans happy. The brand has been doing a very popular relaunch of old menu items through its “Decades Menu” initiative. And after Baja Blast-ing through the ’90s and 2000s, it’s time to enter the 2010s. That’s right, break out your Anti Social Social Club shirts and queue up some Justin Bieber. We’re going back to 2016.
What are the Taco Bell 2016 Decade Menu items?
There are four returning menu items:
- Naked Chicken Chalupa: One of Taco Bell’s boldest crispy chicken innovations, which involves a taco shell made of crispy chicken that is then loaded with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and avocado ranch
- Beefy Crunch Burrito: The cult-favorite burrito filled with beef, Flamin’ Hot Fritos, rice, sour cream and nacho cheese
- Meximelt: A three-cheese blend topped with ground beef and pico de gallo tucked into a flour tortilla
- Caramel Apple Empanada: This handheld dessert is filled with caramel sauce and apples
How do the 2016 Decade Menu items taste in 2026?
I have to say, I was thoroughly impressed. I mean, I remember eating all of these foods in 2016! Part of me felt like trying them again might be disappointing, but truthfully, Taco Bell has very rarely let me down in terms of taste. I simply adore the Beefy Crunch Burrito, and I devoured it pretty quickly. It’s the perfect combination of beefy, cheesy and crunchy, aka the Taco Bell holy trinity.
If possible, the Naked Chicken Chalupa is better than I remember. I think that the chicken taco shell is slightly thinner this time around, which gives us an even crispier texture. The Meximelt has always been just fine in my opinion—sorry to any Meximelt superfans! The 2026 version tastes the same as the 2016 one did.
The second I bit into the Caramel Apple Empanada, I was transported back in time. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine myself sitting in my tiny studio apartment after work, chowing down on an empanada and sipping a Baja Blast. There is truly nothing like this flavor, and I’m really glad that they brought it back. It’s the deep-fried empanada dough that really sets it apart from other dessert options.
How long will the 2016 Decade Menu be available?
Like all good things, this menu will only be here for a limited time. It’s available now at participating Taco Bell locations nationwide. There’s no word from Taco Bell on exactly when it will be over, so if you want to experience the pure bliss of a Caramel Apple Empanada again, I suggest you think outside the bun soon—maybe even tonight!
What’s your favorite 2016 throwback menu item? Let us know in the comments below!
